Absorbent articles with uniform graphics

Abstract

A pull-on disposable absorbent article comprising front and rear elastomeric belts each comprising first and second belt substrates, each substrate comprising at least one nonwoven layer; and a center chassis comprising at least one nonwoven layer and at least one film layer; wherein a first graphic is printed on a surface of a nonwoven layer of one of the first or second belt substrates, and wherein a second graphic is printed on a surface of at least one of the group consisting of a nonwoven layer of the first or second belt substrates, a layer of the center chassis, a backsheet, and an outer cover; and wherein the number of nonwoven layers between any first graphic and the outer surface of the article is the same as the number of nonwoven layers between any second graphic and the outer surface of the article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pull-on disposable absorbent article comprising a front elastomeric belt disposed in a first waist region, a rear elastomeric belt disposed in a second waist region, and a center chassis disposed in a crotch region, the center chassis overlapping and extending between the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt;
 wherein the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt comprise a first belt substrate forming a portion of the outer surface of the absorbent article, the first belt substrate comprising an outer nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt comprise a second belt substrate forming a portion of the inner surface of the absorbent article, the second belt substrate comprising an inner nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein the center chassis comprises a chassis nonwoven layer and a film layer, the chassis nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface and the film layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein a first graphic is printed on the inner surface of the outer nonwoven layer of either the front elastomeric belt or the rear elastomeric belt;   wherein a second graphic is printed on the outer surface of the film of the center chassis; and   wherein a color difference between the first graphic and the second graphic, AFi as determined by the CMC color scale, is less than about 5.0; and   wherein a difference in optical density between the first graphic and the second graphic is less than about 0.3.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein a number of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is equal to a number of nonwoven layers between the second graphic and the outer surface of the article. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein an opacity of an aggregate of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is substantially the same as an opacity of an aggregate of nonwoven layers between the second graphic and the outer surface of the article. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 3 , wherein an opacity of the aggregate of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is from about 10% to about 50%. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the color difference between the first graphic and the second graphic, ΔE 1  as determined by the CMC color scale, is less than about 3.0. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the difference in optical density between the first graphic and the second graphic is less than about 0.2. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising a third graphic printed on either the front elastomeric belt or the rear elastomeric belt, and wherein a color difference between the third graphic and the second graphic, ΔE 2  as determined by the CMC color scale, is less than about 5.0. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 7 , wherein a difference in optical density between the third graphic and the second graphic is less than about 0.3. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising elastic elements disposed in between the inner and outer nonwoven layers of the first and second belt substrates. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer cover with an outer surface and an inner surface;
 wherein the first belt substrate is in two discontinuous portions, a first portion in the front elastomeric belt and a second portion in the rear elastomeric belt; and   wherein the second belt substrate is in two discontinuous portions, a first portion in the front elastomeric belt and a second portion in the rear elastomeric belt.   
     
     
         11 . A pull-on disposable absorbent article comprising a front elastomeric belt disposed in a first waist region, a rear elastomeric belt disposed in a second waist region, and a center chassis disposed in a crotch region, the center chassis overlapping and extending between the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt;
 wherein the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt comprise a first belt substrate forming a portion of the outer surface of the absorbent article, the first belt substrate comprising an outer nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt comprise a second belt substrate forming a portion of the inner surface of the absorbent article, the second belt substrate comprising an inner nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein the center chassis comprises a chassis nonwoven layer and a film layer, the chassis nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface and the film layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein a first graphic is printed on the inner surface of the outer nonwoven layer of either the front elastomeric belt or the rear elastomeric belt;   wherein a second graphic is printed on the outer surface of the film of the center chassis; and   wherein an opacity of an aggregate of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is substantially the same as an opacity of an aggregate of nonwoven layers between the second graphic and the outer surface of the article.   
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the opacity of the aggregate of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is from about 10% to about 50%. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein a number of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is equal to a number of nonwoven layers between the second graphic and the outer surface of the article. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , further comprising a third graphic printed on either the front elastomeric belt or the rear elastomeric belt, and wherein a color difference between the third graphic and the second graphic, ΔE 2  as determined by the CMC color scale, is less than about 5.0; and
 wherein a difference in optical density between the third graphic and the second graphic is less than about 0.3. 
 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , further comprising elastic elements disposed in between the inner and outer nonwoven layers of the first and second belt substrates. 
     
     
         16 . A pull-on disposable absorbent article comprising a front elastomeric belt disposed in a first waist region, a rear elastomeric belt disposed in a second waist region, and a center chassis disposed in a crotch region, the center chassis overlapping and extending between the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt;
 wherein the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt comprise a first belt substrate forming a portion of the outer surface of the absorbent article, the first belt substrate comprising an outer nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein the front elastomeric belt and the rear elastomeric belt comprise a second belt substrate forming a portion of the inner surface of the absorbent article, the second belt substrate comprising an inner nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein the center chassis comprises a chassis nonwoven layer and a film layer, the chassis nonwoven layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface and the film layer comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   wherein a first graphic is printed on the inner surface of the outer nonwoven layer of either the front elastomeric belt or the rear elastomeric belt;   wherein a second graphic is printed on the outer surface of the film of the center chassis; and   wherein a gloss of an aggregate of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is substantially the same as a gloss of an aggregate of nonwoven layers between the second graphic and the outer surface of the article.   
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , wherein the gloss of the aggregate of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is most about 8 gloss units. 
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , wherein a number of nonwoven layers between the first graphic and the outer surface of the article is equal to a number of nonwoven layers between the second graphic and the outer surface of the article. 
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , further comprising a third graphic printed on either the front elastomeric belt or the rear elastomeric belt, and wherein a color difference between the third graphic and the second graphic, ΔE 2  as determined by the CMC color scale, is less than about 5.0; and
 wherein a difference in optical density between the third graphic and the second graphic is less than about 0.3. 
 
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , further comprising elastic elements disposed in between the inner and outer nonwoven layers of the first and second belt substrates.